“Exposure buildings are clear?” I asked.
“Clear,” Shawn confirmed. “No extension into the surrounding buildings. We got lucky.”
Lucky wasn’t a word I liked to rely on, but I took the win anyway.
I took a few steps closer, stopping short of the caution tape. The smell hit me stronger there—slightly sweet and chemical and wrong. I frowned.
“You smell that?” I asked.
Shawn’s expression tightened. “Yeah.”
“Accelerant.”
“That’s what I think.” He grimaced. “Strongest near the back door and storage area.”
I looked back at the shop, anger stirring in my veins. Latte Pages wasn’t just a business. It was a gathering place. A second living room for half the town. I’d spent more than a few early mornings there myself, coffee in hand, watching Ember Hollow wake up.
“Any injuries?” I asked.
“None,” Shawn said. “Staff was long gone. Someone called it in fast.”
Good.
My gaze drifted over the scene, landing briefly on Damian near one of the engines. He was hauling hose back onto the rig, shoulders slumped with exhaustion and soot streaking his jaw. When he caught sight of me, he gave me a tired grin and a nod.
I returned it.
This had been handled well. They were controlled and efficient. They’d kept it from becoming something far worse.
Pride swelled in my chest, even as unease crept in alongside it.
“Second one,” I muttered. All signs were pointing toward arson.
Shawn nodded grimly. “Yeah.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Has Nolan been informed?”
“Already called him in,” Shawn said. “He’ll be here soon.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The only sounds were the hiss of water on hot surfaces, the low rumble of engines, and the murmur of firefighters talking as they worked.
“It could be some kid,” I said finally. “Someone wanting attention and didn’t get enough of a reaction the first time.”
Shawn shifted, clearly uncomfortable. “Maybe,” he said. “I’d hate that, though. If it is.”
He let out a slow breath. “I practically raised my brother, you know. He was a mess as a teenager. Angry. Lost. But look at him now.” Shawn nodded toward Damian. “A good firefighter. A good man. I’d hate for some kid to be ruining their life by doing something stupid like this.”
I followed his gaze, watching Damian laugh weakly at something another firefighter said.
“Either way, whoever did this,” I squared my shoulders as the weight of command settled fully back into place, “it’s not good.”
Shawn shook his head. “No, sir.”
I glanced back at the blackened shell of the coffee shop, anger simmering beneath my calm exterior.
Ember Hollow didn’t deserve this.
And I had a bad feeling if we didn’t find whoever did this soon, it wasn’t the last time we’d be standing in the cold, staring at smoke curling into the night sky.
